Employers generally subscribe to online job boards and pay a fee to have their job openings advertised to a broad applicant pool. However, with the rise of aggregate job boards (discussed below), use of online job boards is declining. Aggregate job boards often pick up jobs posted on company websites, therefore allowing companies to reach a wider audience without paying for the additional publicity (Joyce, n.d.).

Aggregate Job Boards compile job postings from all over the internet including those listed on major online job boards and employer websites. Indeed.com and Simplyhired.com are two popular examples of aggregate job boards. The advantage of aggregate job boards is the ability to search multiple job websites in one place using one user I.D. and password (Flannery, 2015). The disadvantage is the sheer volume of listings. Users need to be very specific about their skills and location to yield a manageable number of results (Flannery, 2015). In addition, the same job posting may appear multiple times artificially inflating the number of available jobs, and aggregate job boards often have outdated results (Flannery, 2015).

Employer Websites: Increasingly, employers post available jobs on their company websites. If you know who you would like to work for, visit the company’s website to learn about recent job postings. You can even create a google alert so you are notified every time a new job is posted.

On the ground – For small or rural businesses, visiting the place you would like to work can be an advantage. When you visit, dress professionally, be polite and conscientious of the time (Joyce, n.d.).

Job boards are a great way to find available jobs, but are most effective if used in conjunction with networking. If you know someone who works for the company you would like to work for, ask them about their job and tell them that you are thinking about applying for a job there. If you don’t personally know a company insider, search your LinkedIn connections to see if one of your connections works at the company or can introduce you to someone who does. Of course, networks have to be maintained and are most effective when you’ve taken time to cultivate your network prior to looking for a new job.